Someone Put Broadway Out of Its Misery

If this is what we're dealing with re Tony nominations, just shut down the Great White Way altogether now and leave it with a shred of dignity.

If you're not aware, the Tonys are pretty much the most BS awards out there because if you're produced, you're probably nominated. Because whereas there are hundreds, thousands of TV shows, movies, etc for the other big televised award shows, there are only a handful of B'way shows produced each year period, so a nomination isn't exactly a big deal. The nominees for best musical alone make me nauseous: two movies and a jukebox musical - three out of four without original content? Why nominate anyone at all?

I guess some naive part of me still thought that the Tonys aren't entirely political. But reading these noms shattered that -- the shows I've seen this year that have nominations are mostly entirely undeserved, i.e., Alison Janney was thoroughly entertaining in 9 to 5, but a Best Actress performance? Hardly. Her agent must know all the right people.

And who doesn't love Dolly Parton, but to put her in the category formerly graced by a genius like Sondheim is embarrassing.

I get it, Broadway needs a big marketing gimmick just like every other performing art, but lord, can we at least open it up to London, off-Broadway, and regional to make it an actual contest?